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Welcome to Helena, Montana

The Helena area was
long used by various indigenous peoples. Evidence from the McHaffie
and Indian Creek sites on opposite sides of the Elkhorn Mountains
southeast of Helena Valley show that people of the Folsom culture
lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Before the introduction
of the horse some 300 years ago, and since, other native people,
including the Salish and the Blackfeet, utilized the area seasonally
on their nomadic rounds.

By the early 1800s
people of European descent from the United States and British Canada
began arriving to work the streams of the Missouri watershed looking
for fur-bearing animals like the beaver, bringing them through the
area now known as the Helena Valley. Yet, like the native people,
none of them stayed for long.

On July 14, 1864, the
discovery of gold by a prospecting party in a gulch off the Prickly
Pear Creek led to the founding of a mining camp in the area they
called Last Chance. By fall, the population had grown to over 200,
and some thought the “Last Chance” name of the town was too
crass. On October 30, 1864, a group of at least seven self-appointed
men met to name the town, authorize the layout of streets, and elect
commissioners. After much debate a Scotsman name John Summerville
proposed the town’s name as Helena. Later tales of the naming of
Helena claimed the name came after the island of St. Helena, where
Napoleon had been exiled, or was that of a miner’s sweetheart.

The town site was first
surveyed by Captain John Wood. However, many of the original streets
followed the chaotic paths of the miners, going around claims and
following the winding gulch. As a result, few city blocks are
consistent in sizes, rather they from Last an irregular variety of
shapes and sizes.

By 1888, about fifty
millionaires lived in Helena, more per capita than any city in the
world. About $3.6 billion in today’s dollars of gold was taken over
a 20-year period. Most of the production occurred before 1868. Much
of the placer gold was found under streets and buildings of Helena.
As late as the 1970s, when repairs were being made to a bank, a vain
of placer was found under the bank’s foundation.

The large concentration
of wealth was the basis of developing fine residences and ambitious
architecture in the city. Helena’s Victorian neighborhoods reflect
the gold years. The numerous miners also attracted the development of
a thriving red light district. Among the well-known madams was
Josephine “Chicago Joe” Airey, who built a thriving business
empire between 1874 and 1893, becoming one of the largest and most
influential landowners in Helena. The brothels of Helena were a
successful part of the local business community well into the 20th
century, ending with the death of Helena’s last madam, “Big
Dorothy” Baker.

Today, Helena is the
capital city of the state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and
Clark County. Helena has a population approaching 30,000. The city is
served by Helena Regional Airport. The Cathedral of Saint Helena and
the Helena Civic Center are two of many significant historic
buildings in Helena.

With the mountains,
Helena is the location for much recreation including hunting,
fishing, hiking and horseback riding. It has a local ski area, Great
Divide Ski Area, northwest of town near the ghost town of Maryville.
Helena is also known for its mountain biking. It was officially
designated as an International Mountain Bicycling Association bronze
level Ride Center on October 23, 2013. Helena has a semi-arid climate
with long, cold and moderately snowy winters, hot and dry summers and
short springs and autumns in between.

The city has a long
record of economic stability as being the state capital and being
founded in an area rich in gold, silver and lead. Its status as the
capital of Montana makes it a major hub of activity at the county,
state and federal level. Notable people raised in Helena include
movie actor Gary Cooper.

Higher education
institutions include Carroll College, a Catholic liberal arts college
found in 1909 with an enrollment of 1,500 students. Helena College
University of Montana, a two-year affiliate campus of The University
of Montana, provides transfer, career and technical education for
more than 1,600 students. It opened in 1939.

Whether you’re a
history buff, an arts connoisseur or outdoor enthusiast, Helena has
something to keep your mind and body occupied. The Queen City
treasures her reputation as one of the top 100 small arts communities
in America. Summer festivals provide soothing sounds to the ears of
lovers of all kinds of music. Helena is the perfect place to make
your vacation dreams a reality.

Stop by or write the
Helena Convention and Visitors Bureau for more tourist information:

Attractions

This museum’s
collection—over 50,000 artifacts—contains art and
three-dimensional artifacts relating to all aspects of Montana
history and culture. The Native American collection (6,000 pieces)
contains artifacts of the many tribes who called Montana home. The
collection is especially strong in early reservation-era Blackfeet,
Sioux and Salish materials. Other artifacts include Jim Bridger’s
1870 Hawken rifle and Sitting Bull’s 1866 Henry repeating rifle.
The archaeological collection represents artifacts from the many eras
of human habitation in Montana. The Society is also the official
repository for archaeological materials found on State-owned lands.

This museum includes
decorative and furnishings (3,000 pieces) many of which are housed in
room settings at the Original Governor’s Mansion, a three-story
Queen Anne-Style home. The best known works in the arts collection
(8,000 pieces) are by Montana’s “Cowboy Artist” Charles M.
Russell. This collection (numbering over 200 pieces) is the most
significant collection of Russell art anywhere in the world.

Two centuries of
military experiences in Montana are displayed in a museum complex
approaching completion at Fort Harrison near Helena. Limited hours!
It is recommended that you call ahead. The museum’s displays follow
the military in Montana from the arrival of the Lewis and Clark
expedition in 1805, through the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American
War, World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War,
Desert Storm and various peacekeeping operations. The military
tradition dates from 1806 when Blackfeet Indians fought the U.S.
Army.

The Cathedral of St.
Helena was constructed at the turn of the century during the
episcopate of Bishop John Carroll. It is an outstanding example of
Geometric Gothic architecture with extensive stained glass windows.

After much work by the
City of Helena Parks Department, Centennial Park is now a true
destination of Helena. The bike park features pump tracks and skills
course. There is a loop trail with fitness stations, a dog park,
seasonal running water, benches and a barrier-free playground. Soccer
and softball fields as well as a climbing for practicing climbing
skills are available at the Centennial Park.

Great towering walls of
limestone stand guard over the Missouri River. The Gates of the
Mountains Wilderness is located about twenty miles north of Helena
and has a thirty-eight-mile stretch of the river. Boat tours and
online booking are available.

This is not your
ordinary carousel! This world-class, hand-carved work of art consists
of 37 unique Montana animals, and 14 Helena scenic-carved rounding
boards and stain glass artwork. The National Carousel Association
said it is the finest carousel in the nation, if not one of the
finest in the world. Riders can choose to whirl around on Big Horn
Sheep, Buffalo, Cutthroat Trout, Grizzly Bear, Otter, Bobcat,
Mountain Goat, Frog, Rabbit and horse. After you’ve had the ride of
your life, enjoy ice cream with over 24 flavors to choose from.

Last Chance Tour Trains
offer historic tours of Helena aboard open-air tour trains and
climate controlled trolley. See the mansion district, Cathedral of
St. Helena, governor’s homes and restored miner’s village. Also
offered are guided day and half day tours.

Spring Meadow Lake
State Park is located on the western edge of Helena. It is an urban
day-use park for swimming, sunbathing, fishing and birdwatching. The
park offers an .8 mile, self-guided nature trail that circles the
lake.

This permanent out door
exhibit located at the Great Northern Town Center is a cooperative
project with the Lewis and Clark Trail Commission. Visitors to this
exhibit will learn about the 19 historical sites from Montana’s
Lewis and Clark trail such as the Gates of the Mountains, Pompey’s
Pillar, Great Falls/Portage and the Three Forks of the Missouri
River. The interpretive signage will guide you on your journey of
Lewis and Clark’s Montana Experience.